Solidago plant named ‘BARSOLMAG’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Solidago  plant named ‘BARSOLMAG’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; unique flat-top spray formation; and inflorescences with light yellow-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Solidago hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BARSOLMAG’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Solidago plant, botanically known as Solidago hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BARSOLMAG’.

The new Solidago plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Solidago plants with attractive inflorescences.

The new Solidago originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Jun. 1, 2009 of a proprietary selection of Solidago hybrida identified as code number SO-0007, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Solidago hybrida identified as code number SO08-000042-020, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Solidago plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands on Jun. 1, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Solidago plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since Jan. 1, 2012, has shown that the unique features of this new Solidago plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Solidago have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BARSOLMAG’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BARSOLMAG’ as a new and distinct Solidago plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Unique flat-top spray formation.     -   5. Inflorescences with light yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Solidago differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Sprays of plants of the new Solidago are flat-top in shape         whereas sprays of plants of the female parent selection are         plume-shaped.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Solidago are slightly         larger than inflorescences of plants of the female parent         selection.

Plants of the new Solidago differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solidago are taller than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Sprays of plants of the new Solidago are flatter in shape         than sprays of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Solidago can be compared to plants of Solidago hybrida ‘Bareight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,525. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Solidago differ from plants of ‘Bareight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solidago have longer and thicker lateral         branches than plants of ‘Bareight’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Solidago have more ray         and disc florets than inflorescences of plants of ‘Bareight’.     -   3. Sprays of plants of the new Solidago are flat-top in shape         whereas sprays of plants of ‘Bareight’ are plume-shaped.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Solidago are larger than         inflorescences of plants of ‘Bareight’.

Plants of the new Solidago can also be compared to plants of Solidago hybrida ‘Golden Glory’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Solidago differ from plants of ‘Golden Glory’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solidago are shorter than plants of ‘Golden         Glory’.     -   2. Sprays of plants of the new Solidago are flat-top in shape         whereas sprays of plants of ‘Golden Glory’ are plume-shaped.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Solidago are larger than         inflorescences of plants of ‘Golden Glory’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Solidago plants. These photographs shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Solidago plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘BARSOLMAG’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering spray of ‘BARSOLMAG’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2005 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Naivasha, Kenya during the winter in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and under cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Solidago production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 10° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were about six months old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Solidago hybrida ‘BARSOLMAG’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Solidago             hybrida identified as code number SO-0007, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Solidago             hybrida identified as code number SO08-000042-020, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About nine days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to             five weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial plant typically grown as a             cut flower in ground beds; upright and bushy plant habit;             vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 40 cm             to 50 cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 60 cm             to 70 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm to 40 cm.         -   Productivity.—Highly productive, plants produce about 25             flowering stems per year.         -   Lateral branches.—Internode length: About 3 cm to 4 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Pubescent, minute;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile. Length:             About 15 cm to 20 cm. Width; About 3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire to serrate. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing and             fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 137B. Developing and fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to             137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form and flowering habit.—Single-type             inflorescence form with obcordate to lanceolate-shaped ray             florets; flowering sprays are flat-top in shape; freely             flowering habit with about 500 inflorescences developing per             plant; disc and ray florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum; inflorescences face mostly upright; uniform             flowering habit.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about three weeks on the plant and for about             two weeks as a cut flower; inflorescences persistent.         -   Flowering response.—Plants flower naturally during the             autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about             six weeks after pinching.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Shape: Oval. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to 151D.         -   Spray height.—About 30 cm.         -   Spray diameter.—About 15 cm.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Depth (height):             About 5 mm. Diameter of disc: About 3 mm. Receptacle height:             About 2 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1 mm. Receptacle             color: Close to 137C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 20 arranged in             a single whorl; mostly horizontal. Length: About 4 mm.             Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape: Obcordate to lanceolate. Apex:             Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 4A. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 4A.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 25, massed at             center of receptacle. Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About             0.5 mm. Shape: Tubular. Apex: Rounded. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, immature and mature: Close             to 4A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 20 cm. Diameter,             terminal peduncle: About 4 mm. Length, third peduncle: About             5 mm. Diameter, third peduncle: About 2 mm. Aspect, terminal             peduncle: Mostly upright. Aspect, third peduncle: About 20°             from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per disc floret: One. Anther shape: Elliptic.             Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 14A.             Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both ray             and disc florets. Quantity per floret: One. Stigma shape:             Filamentous. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Style length: Less             than 1 mm. Style color: Close to 155A.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed on plants of             the new Solidago. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Solidago have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Solidago     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Solidago have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Solidago plant named ‘BARSOLMAG’ as illustrated and described. 